Category Archives: Cryptocurrency

It is our aim to provide our readers with report forCryptocurrency and Blockchain Market, which examines the industry during the period 2020 2026. One goal is to present deeper insight into this line of business in this document. The first part of the report focuses on providing the industry definition for the product or service under focus in the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market report. Next, the document will study the factors responsible for hindering and enhancing growth in the industry. After covering various areas of interest in the industry, the report aims to provide how the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market will grow during the forecast period.

The major vendors covered:Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, NVIDIA Corporation, BitFury Group Limited, Alphapoint Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Xilinx, BitGo, Ripple, BTL Group Ltd. and more

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TheCryptocurrency and Blockchain Marketreport between the years 2020 2026 will highlight the current value of the industry. At the same time, there is also an estimate of how much this line of business will be worth at the end of the forecast period. As it is our goal to maintain high levels of accuracy at all times, we will take a look at the CAGR of the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market. We make sure that all the information available in this report has excellent levels of readability. One way we achieve this target is by Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market segmentation. Going through the report for 2020 2026 will bring our readers up-to-date regarding this industry.

While examining the information from this document, one thing becomes clear, the elements which contribute to increase in demand for the product or service. At the same time, there will be a focus on what drives the popularity of these types of products or services. This report is for those who want to learn about Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market, along with its forecast for 2020 2026. Information regarding market revenue, competitive partners, and key players will also be available.

Segmentation

As discussed earlier, there is segmentation in theCryptocurrency and Blockchain Marketreport, to improve the accuracy and make it easier to collect data. The categories which are the dividing factors in the industry are distribution channels, application, and product or service type. With this level of segmentation, it becomes easier to analyze and understand the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market. At the same time, there is emphasis on which type of consumers become the customers in this industry. When it comes to distribution channels, the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market report looks at the different techniques of circulation of the product or service.

Regional Overview

In this part of theCryptocurrency and Blockchain Marketreport, we will be taking a look at the geographical areas and the role they play in contributing to the growth of this line of business. The areas of interest in this document are as follows Middle East and Africa, South and North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. From the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market report, it becomes clear which region is the largest contributor.

Latest Industry News

From thisCryptocurrency and Blockchain Marketreport, the reader will also get to learn about the latest developments in the industry. The reason is that these products or services have the potential to disrupt this line of business. If there is information about company acquisitions or mergers, this information will also be available in this portion of the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market report.

If you have any special requirements about this Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market report, please let us know and we can provide custom report.

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Post Covid-19 Impact On Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Market Revenue and Growth Rate Forecast 2020 to 2026-Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation,...

The Global Cryptocurrency Market report helps industry experts, analysts and business decision makers highlight the current market scenario, opportunities, upcoming market trends, and price analysis. This article on the global Cryptocurrency market offers in-depth analysis by brand, driver, restaurant, general product, and more.

The study provides a cross-sectional analysis of the global Cryptocurrency market in terms of market estimates and forecasts for all segments in different geographic regions. The research report covers all the latest trends and cutting edge technologies that play a key role in the growth of the Cryptocurrency market during the forecast period. It also sheds light on various driving forces, constraints, and opportunities that could impact the growth of the sands market.

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The prominent players covered in this report:

BitFury Group Limited, Microsoft Corporation, Ripple Labs Inc., Intel Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Coinbase Ltd., NVIDIA Corporation, AlphaPoint Corporation, BitGo, Xilinx Inc. and BTL Group Ltd. among others.

To give a complete understanding of the Cryptocurrency market, we looked at the competitive scenario in detail, as well as the product portfolio of the major vendors scattered across different regions. The research report also contains SWOT analysis and industry analysis using PESTEL. The study includes a market attractiveness study in which all segments are compared based on their market size, growth rate and overall attractiveness in terms of investment opportunities and market value growth.

The global Cryptocurrency market is dominated by major players. Cryptocurrency companies in the global Cryptocurrency market have a wide geographic reach, a diversified product portfolio and a strong focus on innovation and research. While the big players dominate the global Cryptocurrency market, some emerging companies are gaining traction with their innovative products and technologies.

Many important companies are focusing on using tactics such as innovative marketing, new product launches, strategic acquisitions and promotional activities, strengthening their distribution networks, and increasing investment in R&D to increase their market share and presence in the global Cryptocurrency market.

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Cryptocurrency Market Segmentation

Type Analysis of Cryptocurrency Market:

Component Segment

HardwareFPGAGPUASICWalletOthersSoftwareMining PlatformBlockchainCoin WalletExchangeType SegmentEthereumBitcoinLitecoinDashcoinRipple (XRP)OthersEnd-User Industry SegmentMedia & entertainmentRemittanceE-commerce & retailPeer-to-peer paymentOthers.

The research also focuses on a comprehensive overview of global Cryptocurrency markets with market dynamics such as opportunities, drivers, constraints, and trends that are estimated to exploit the existing landscape and external status of Cryptocurrency markets. Likewise, the Global Cryptocurrency Market Report contains a number of internal and external factors affecting the industry.

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1. An analysis of the changing competitive scenario is proposed.2. For making informed decisions in business, it offers analytical data with strategic planning methodologies.3. A seven-year Global Cryptocurrency rating is offered.4. Helps to understand the main key product segments.5. Researchers shed light on market dynamics such as constraints, trends and opportunities.6. It offers regional analysis of the global Cryptocurrency market as well as multi-stakeholder business profiles.7. It offers extensive trend data that will influence the progress of Global Cryptocurrency.

1 Cryptocurrency Market Review2 Global manufacturer competition in the Cryptocurrency market3 global Cryptocurrencys: capacity, production, income (cost) by region)4 Global Cryptocurrency supply (production), consumption, export, import by region5 Cryptocurrency production in the world, income (cost), price dynamics by type6 Global Cryptocurrency Market Analysis by Application7 profiles / analysis of global Cryptocurrency manufacturers8 Analysis of production costs by Cryptocurrencys9 Value chain, sourcing strategy and buyers10 Analysis of marketing strategy, distributors / traders11 Analysis of market effect factors12 Global Cryptocurrency Market Forecast13 research findings and conclusions14 Appendix

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Cryptocurrency Market Share Analysis 2020 Top Companies, Business Growth with Size, Trends, Demand Status, Companies Overview with COVID-19 Post...

While the Report acknowledges the potential utility of blockchain technologyincluding its applicability to United States defense strategy, food safety, and the Federal Reserve Systems efforts to implement its own digital currencythe Task Force has detected three common illicit uses of cryptocurrency: (1) financial transactions associated with criminal activity, such as terrorism fundraising, exchanging illegal substances, and child exploitation; (2) money laundering and the shielding of legitimate activity from tax, reporting, or other legal requirements; and (3) crimes that directly compromise virtual asset markets themselves (often theft, fraud, and cryptojacking)[1].

The Report states that, in cooperation with a number of regulatory bodies, enforcement efforts have focused on money services businesses (MSBs) and virtual asset service providers (VASPs). MSBs include currency dealers or exchangers; check cashers; issuers and sellers of travelers checks, money orders, or stored value; money transmitters; and the United States Postal Service. VASPs provide services related to exchanging, transferring, and safekeeping virtual currencies.

The Report also identifies and defines specific business models that may facilitate criminal activities, likely foreshadowing future Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecution targets:

The government has a growing number of tools to prosecute criminal activity involving virtual assets. In addition to identifying familiar fraud, AML/CFT and BSA-related charges, and other provisions of the Criminal Code,[2] the Report summarizes the roles of agencies authorized to enforce regulations pertinent to cryptocurrency business models.

FinCEN. FinCEN primarily administers and implements the BSA, which includes maintaining a database that stores reports of suspected money-laundering transactions. FinCENs relationship with the DOJ centers on crime prevention (via compliance obligations targeting money laundering and terrorism efforts) and investigatory assistance with suspicious activity detected through the mandatory reporting. If a potential crime is identified, FinCEN will refer matters to DOJs Fraud Section, Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Section or a local United States Attorneys Office for criminal investigation and prosecution. Interestingly, MSBs need not have a physical presence in the United States to be subject to the BSA; an MSB doing business in the United States may trigger BSA requirements. As a key player in cryptocurrency enforcement, FinCENs role suggests that compliant reporting will maximize the efficacy of the BSA database and promote integrity of cryptocurrency markets.

OFAC. The Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions against targeted foreign countries and regimes; terrorist groups; international narcotics traffickers; those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; those engaged in malicious cyber activities; and other entities that present threats to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals.[3] Thus, entities that provide or participate in online commerce or process transactions in digital currency must be aware of OFAC sanctions and enact appropriate controls.

OCC. The Treasurys Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is responsible for issuing rules and regulations applicable to banks, as well as imposing corrective measures when banks act illegally or exhibit unsafe or unsound practices. The OCC has confirmed in a July 22, 2020 Interpretive Letter that OCC-governed banks may provide custody services to lawful cryptocurrency businesses, as long as banks engage in proper risk management and regulatory and legal compliance.

SEC. The Securities and Exchange Commission also plays a critical role in the cryptocurrency space, particularly through the regulation of the rapid growth of the initial coin offerings (ICOs) market and its widespread promotion as a means for new investment opportunity, which has provided fertile ground for malicious actors to swindle investors.[4] ICOs promote the sale of digital tokens to raise capital in exchange for funding an entitys new project or platform. The Report boasts several enforcement actions made possible through collaboration with the DOJ.

CFTC. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has statutory authority to regulate certain aspects and uses of virtual assets. Along with multiple federal courts, the CFTC has found certain virtual currencies to be commodities under the Commodities Exchange Act, and thus subject to CFTC oversight. CFTCs jurisdiction is implicated when a virtual currency is the underlying asset in a derivatives contract, or if there is fraud or manipulation involving a virtual currency traded in interstate commerce.[5] Successful enforcement actions show examples of fraudulent activity, which include illegal offerings of margined or financed retail virtual currency, fictitious trades on derivatives platforms, and virtual currency Ponzi schemes.

IRS. The Report also provides a helpful reminder that general tax exposure attaches to virtual currency transactions because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) treats virtual currency as property. Thus, [i]ncome, including capital gains, from virtual currency transactions is taxable, and virtual currency transactions themselves must be reported on a taxpayers income tax return.[6] Failure to accurately report taxable income could therefore also trigger an investigation and potential civil or criminal actions.

The DOJ intends to continue to pursue tax-related prosecutions for failure to report income from virtual currency and assist with John Doe summons matters, which are IRS investigations approved by a federal court in order to locate taxpayers who are unknown to the IRS. In fact, the IRSs 2020 Draft 1040 adds a line requiring tax payers to answer the question: At any time during 2020, did you receive, sell, send, exchange, or otherwise acquire any financial interest in any virtual currency? In the past, taxpayers had to report their virtual currency activityor not, and risk receiving a letter from the IRS requesting amended returns that report virtual currency transactions and income. The 2020 Draft 1040 reflects a more proactive approach to enforcement of virtual currency reporting that likely will result in greater scrutiny of individuals dealing in cryptocurrency and other virtual assets.

State Authorities and International Regulations. Responsible for protecting the investing public through licensing investment firms, registering securities offerings, and enforcing other state securities and banking laws, state authorities are actively investigating virtual currency activity, mainly issuance and sales of ICOs. The Report identifies New York as a proactive state seeking to regulate and gather information in the virtual asset and ICO space.[7]

Internationally, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) serves as the global standard-setter for AML/CFT standards. In June 2019, FATF issued updated Recommendations setting forth a framework of measures that countries should implement to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The United States was a founding member in 1989 and served as president from July 2018 to June 2019, during which time it made it a FATF priority to regulate VASPs.

As virtual currency rapidly evolves to apex technological complexity, this framework may appear to be a tangled web of regulatory aspirations arriving too late; however, the Report boasts a number of recent prosecutions that reflect competent enforcement by each of the above authorities. In addition to the notable changes to IRS Form 1040 referenced above, the indictment earlier this month against John McAfee for alleged tax evasion was a strong signal to the cryptocurrency community that DOJ is serious about enforcement. McAfee has been a vocal proponent of cryptocurrency and he allegedly earned millions through consulting and other services.

The Report further confirms DOJs intention to continue developing strategies to respond to the threat of virtual assets, which include:

The release of the Report by DOJ should send a strong message to all who use cryptocurrency or otherwise service the cryptocurrency market that the government is intent on engaging in much stronger regulation and enforcement in the future. If you or your company operate in the cryptocurrency space, you would be well-served to carefully review the developing laws and regulations so you can build an adequate compliance framework and respond to potential threats accordingly.

[1] The Report defines cryptojacking as [t]he unauthorized use of someone elses computer to generate (or mine) cryptocurrency. Report at 16.

[2] The Report references several statutes, including: 18 U.S.C. 1343 (Wire Fraud); 18 U.S.C. 1341 (Mail Fraud); 15 U.S.C. 78j and 78ff (Securities Fraud); 18 U.S.C. 1029 (Access Device Fraud); 18 U.S.C. 1028 (Identity Theft and Fraud); 18 U.S.C. 1030 (Fraud and Intrusions in Connection with Computers); 18 U.S.C. 921 et seq. (Illegal Sale and Possession of Firearms); 18 U.S.C. 2320 (Possession and Distribution of Counterfeit Items); 18 U.S.C. 2251 et seq. (Child Exploitation Activities); 21 U.S.C. 841 et seq. (Possession and Distribution of Controlled Substances); 18 U.S.C. 1956 et seq. (Money Laundering); 18 U.S.C. 1957 (Transactions Involving Proceeds of Illegal Activity); 18 U.S.C. 1960 (Operation of an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business); 31 U.S.C. 5331 et seq. (Failure to Comply with Bank Secrecy Act Requirements); 18 U.S.C. 982 and 21 U.S.C. 853 (Criminal Forfeiture); and 18 U.S.C. 981 (Civil Forfeiture).

[3] Report at 26.

[4] Id. at 29.

[5] Id. at 32.

[6] Id. at 33.

[7] Report at 34.

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Cryptocurrency 101 DOJs New Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework Provides Guidance And Promises Of Heightened Scrutiny Of Virtual Assets Through...

A pro-democracy protester gives the three-finger salute while holding up a sign on an electronic ... [+] tablet during an anti-government rally on the outskirts of Bangkok on October 19, 2020. (Photo by Jack TAYLOR / AFP) (Photo by JACK TAYLOR/AFP via Getty Images)

In a COVID-19 era marked by aggressive political consolidation and economic troubles, there have been sparks of protests around the world. From Hong Kong, to the United States to Nigeria, to Thailand, to Belarus and beyond no corner of the world has been untouched by a wave of fresh political protests.

Their causes are diverse: fighting against established political classes, opposing police brutality or calling for reexaminations of elections with possibly fraudulent vote counts.

Yet their concerns are common: they are aligned against powerful and entrenched politicians who largely control trust within their borders. From use of force against dissidents to regulations that control domestic banking systems to the control of state-affiliated media, political incumbents have a lot of power to wield to advance their interests. In order to create meaningful dissent, you have to work around that power.

Cryptocurrency offers one way to doing so. From the payment processor side, you can set up your own payment service using open-source software such as BTCPay. With decentralization, you dont rely on any third-party organization to vet or potentially censor your payments, and there are no processing fees: a stark contrast from the conventional banking system in nation-states that are largely dependent on the corpus between political and legal power to maintain their good financial standing.

An example of this is the Feminist Coalition, an organization of Nigerian activists, moving to accept donations in bitcoin as part of the #EndSARS movement dedicated to fighting police brutality in Nigeria. The Feminist Coalition has reported that its bank account has been shut down, along with a donation link provided by centralized payment processor Flutterwave. Flutterwaves chairman is Tunde Lemo, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The move to bitcoin not only helps the Feminist Coalition to be resilient to censorship for payment processors who are entrenched in traditional power structures, it also helps donors decide the level of privacy they need to make donations to a cause that might be frowned upon in official circles.

People can choose to use Wasabi wallet and the combination of tools they bring to the fore (broadcasting via the Tor network, using CoinJoin to more deeply anonymize transactions) to express a strong desire for privacy. They can use a bitcoin address they dont use very often and which cant be strongly tied to their identity to send cryptocurrency donations. Or they can choose to express a very loose expression of privacy by sending from a more centralized exchange with stricter identity rules such as Coinbase.

The essential point is that people can send cryptocurrency when centralized exchanges censor payment processing and theres no other ways to transact, and they can choose how strongly they want to link their personal identity to financial transactions in the face of political repression and political power.

This same dynamic is what happened with Hong Kong Free Press, an English-level media organization that has pro-democracy support and perspectives within Hong Kong which is also using BTCpay to accept bitcoin and donations.

Given the new national security law, its possible that payment processors might shut off Hong Kong Free Press and their access to the financial resources required to operate and its possible that they might go after with their donors, especially ones with weaker privacy protections.

In Thailand, where pro-democracy protestors have emerged, protestors have put up signs asking for others to buy bitcoin. In Belarus, government employees fired for supporting the political opposition have been supported with grants partially financed through cryptocurrencies by the BYSOL organization, an organization founded by civic society and technologists that support[s] anyone who was repressed, prosecuted, or lost their jobs because of participating in strikes or peaceful protests in Belarus.

Those facing political prosecution fill out a form that took one just ten minutes to figure out, and then theyre set up on a mobile cryptocurrency wallet, then sent grants and support. BYSOL is fundraising with bitcoin and ethereum as funding options. The organization has raised slightly over $2 million USD to send out to support protesters for their bravery if they are economically tied to the state and are punished for it.

Around the world, as protests mount, cryptocurrencies are starting to be used in various ways to go around established political power and to support protestors and dissidents. Each use further bolsters the case that cryptocurrencies can help support meaningful dissent and political diversity even in the face of extreme repression.

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Dissidents Are Turning To Cryptocurrency As Protests Mount Around The World - Forbes

Are cryptocurrencies a new form of money and, if so, do they threaten state power?

Our friend Nic Carter has recentlycommentedon these questions indialoguewith the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. We would like to add our perspective and thoughts on this, as we believe there is value to be derived from discussing these matters in depth. For better and worse, we believe that blockchains such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Handshake (in which I am involved) have features that make them a novel threat to the powers that states derive from currency issuance but only a very marginal threat. This fairly mild conclusion flows from more controversial premises.

Steven McKie is a founding partner and managing director at Amentum Capital, developer on HandyMiner and HandyBrowser for Handshake and host of the BlockChannel podcast. A version of this article first appeared on Amentum's blog.

The New York Fed writers name three kinds of money: fiat money, money with intrinsic or commodity value and claim-backed money. Without getting lost in the weeds, we think this overcomplicates things. All money that we can think of falls into two categories: either it has intrinsic value (like edible grains) or it doesnt. If it doesnt, then its value comes from the supposition that someone else values it.

This mysterious someone else might be totally unspecified, as when we suppose someone will pay us for gold; or it might include a specific party, such as a state, that promises to take the money in exchange for, e.g., discharging tax obligations. Bitcoin, like gold in the post-gold-standard era, falls into the former category. It has no intrinsic value and nobody in particular has promised to exchange anything for it. We just guess that someone will.

But we should not be surprised that the worlds most popular kinds of money are the ones that states explicitly promise to honor. For states, such promises are an extremely important instrument of their power. For example, by only accepting dollars as tax payment, the United States obliges its hundreds of millions of people to make sure they have dollars handy. Because of this, everyone in the world knows they can sell their dollars to someone (i.e., to U.S. residents). Moreover, everyone knows that by accumulating dollars they gain certain leverage over the United States. This situation enables the United States to print its own money and in so doing, project its power around the world.

The power to print money also gives states another kind of power: It enables them to maximize their productivity. By increasing the money supply, they can pull more people on the margins of the economy into the productive process. But this comes at the cost of the scarcity of money and, because it puts the newly minted money directly into the pockets of the less-powerful, tends to decrease the power of those who have already accumulated a lot of money. Hence, artificial constraints of the money supply, like the gold standard, are often associated with extremely conservative politics. Constraining the money supply hurts productivity, but it preserves social hierarchies.

This is where the more benign hopes of transcending nation-states mix with the darker fantasies of so-called bitcoin maximalists. On the one hand, a meaningful alternative to national currencies could allow people in abusive regimes not to rely on their governments worthless promises. On the other hand, a mechanistically fixed supply of money could put an unequal social hierarchy beyond the reach of democratic power, as the gold standard once did.

Bitcoin, in this respect, is very much like gold. And like gold, it poses no active threat to state currencies or state power. For the value of state currencies as described above is predicated upon the actual, practical power of states. Throughout modern history, the preeminent reserve currency has been the coin of the worlds preeminent military power. Only if states lose their status as the main global powers are their currencies likely to follow suit.

Cryptocurrencies are only playing around the margins of this reality. Still, they can play an interesting role because they have features that prior non-state currencies did not. For example, they can facilitate coordination and communication between their holders. Imagine if all the holders of gold could, for example, vote on whether to mine more. Moreover, some cryptocurrencies have intrinsic value, such as ether (paying for the use of a distributed network), or HNS (paying for domain names on a decentralized registry).

The ongoing improvements in global cooperation that happen in the bitcoin/crypto private sector derive from the many players that ensure a proof-of-work (PoW) system remains secure.

The intricacies that go into the production of hashrate, such as power and chipmaker pricing negotiation, manufacturing, international sales and marketing, mining pools and hashpower secondary markets. All are playing a piece in hardening relationships locally and internationally.

Therefore, a properly secured chain has then worked its way into regional regulations and labor, becoming a localized economic staple over time as it approaches scale. And, the second-order effects that come from that embedded chain of incentives include a public blockchain that is secure, not just technically but socially and politically. The most secure chains possessing such widespread economies of scale become powerful economic instruments of finance and political social progress (albeit slowly, but each new major public chain hastens this emergent process, thankfully).

In essence, though these systems may at first seem adversarial to state power by their very design, if you look more closely youll see they inherently (slowly) improve diplomacy via scalable trustless cooperation and international business over time.

To understand more on the alchemy of PoW hashpower and how it naturally derives incentives for international business cooperation, see thisongoing series from Anicca Research. The trustless systems we deploy globally have powerful consequences, and its important that we as an industry understand how to continually scale the positive aspects of decentralized monetary systems, without amplifying the negative effects such as centralized financial influence.

States are not wrong to be somewhat threatened by these hard-to-assess possibilities. If many people decide they would rather hold cryptocurrencies than state-backed currencies, it will diminish states abilities to project power through their coins.

But states still have the armies, the police and on a good day anyway democratic legitimacy. All of that still matters, and will for a long time.

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Cryptocurrency Is Just a Minor Threat to the State- CoinDesk - CoinDesk

Since September, several reports in Indian media outlets have highlighted incidents of unsuspecting customers being allegedly duped of their money through crypto ponzi schemes

In the past too, incidents of wealthy businessmen losing their money through fake crypto wallets have come to light

Between 2017 and 2019, Indian investors have reportedly lost more than $500 Mn to cryptocurrency scams operated within the country and abroad.

Even as crypto stakeholders in India argue against the perceived need for an outright ban on cryptocurrencies in India, reports of crypto ponzi schemes in different parts of the country continue to puncture their cause.

Since September, several reports in Indian media outlets have highlighted incidents of unsuspecting customers being allegedly duped of their money by scamsters believed to be operating crypto ponzi schemes.

In Bengaluru, the police are investigating three companies Long Reach Global, Long Reach Technologies and Morris Trading Solutions. According to the police, these companies collected at least INR 15K each from over 11 lakh people from across the country to invest in a new cryptocurrency called Morris coin. The police have also arrested a 36-year-old man from the Malappuram district of Kerala who is the CEO of all the three entities.

Last month, Delhi Police was investigating an alleged cryptocurrency exchange scam, believed to have been operated by one Pluto Exchange, which marketed itself as a cryptocurrency investment firm and had its offices in Connaught Place. One of the complainants was asked by one of Pluto Exchanges founders to invest in a new cryptocurrency that the firm had launched. The complainant was assured that he would receive 20-30% returns on his investment.

After investing about INR 5 lakhs in the scheme but not receiving any payout, the complainant tried to approach the companys officials, only to find that the exchanges office had shifted from India to Dubai. In the preliminary investigation, it was found that the 43 complainants had invested close to INR 2 Cr in the scheme.

In the past too, incidents of wealthy businessmen losing their money through fake crypto wallets have come to light. Such platforms target users through emails and SMSes, asking them to deposit their bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies in a new crypto exchange to get the opportunity to trade with other users globally. Once users have deposited their crypto assets in the exchange wallet, the operator shuts down the portal, with the users losing access to their crypto earnings.

According to data quoted by cryptocurrency news platform Cointelegraph, between 2017 and 2019, Indian investors have lost more than $500 Mn in cryptocurrency scams operated within the country and abroad.

Amid continued speculation about a ban on cryptocurrencies in India, scant government regulation and no clear law for cryptocurrencies in India contributes a great deal to motivating scamsters in the space. Further, a lack of awareness about digital currencies amongst the public is also a factor. While there is a case to be made about scamsters in the space soiling the name of several genuine and well-meaning crypto exchanges trying to pioneer a crypto revolution in the country, scamsters potential for stitching elaborate frauds under the guise of running a crypto exchange cant be ignored either.

Besides ponzi schemes, other notable modes of crypto scams include fake altcoins (cryptocurrencies other than bitcoin) being made available at attractive prices on certain crypto exchanges. Those who find bitcoin and the popular cryptocurrencies expensive are drawn to these altcoins, only to find that the new coin isnt a genuine cryptocurrency, something thats sooner than later discovered by the relevant authorities. Such fake coins are routinely removed from circulation. However, by the time that happens, millions of dollars worth such fake coins have already been sold to users.

The easiest way to identify a crypto scam is to realise when offers and assured interest returns on an unheard-of cryptocurrency sound too good to be true.

Sumit Gupta, the founder and CEO of Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX, has said in the past that the surging popularity of cryptocurrencies in India would only give rise to more such fraudulent schemes.

To guard against such frauds, Gupta suggested that users should conduct their due diligence before working with cryptocurrencies. This can be done by finding out whether the mobile app for the crypto wallet is linked to an official website for the platform. Further, users should peruse other users comments, reviews and feedback for the app on the internet and the Google Play Store. The number of users and downloads are other important metrics to go by before trusting a platform.

The most important factor in judging a crypto schemes authenticity still rests in judging whether schemes promising implausible returns can ever come through. While crypto enthusiasts and seasoned traders will always stay clear of fraudulent schemes, those new to the ecosystem can do well with internet-based research before depositing their money in new platforms or buying new cryptocurrencies.

By the time of publication, Bitcoin was trading at $11,833, a 2.76% hike from last week. Bitcoins market cap was around $219 Bn.

Ethereum was trading at $370, a 3.85% decline from last weeks trading price. Its market cap was around $41.8 Bn.

A recent report by the World Gold Council, a major market development organization for the gold industry, highlighted that crypto was the fifth-most popular investment tool in Russia, behind savings accounts, foreign currencies, real estate and life insurance. Ranked next to crypto is gold, both accounting for 17% and 16% respectively of active investments made by those surveyed by the World Gold Council. The report is based on a survey of 2,023 online interviews with investors from cities across Russia. The respondents are active investors those who made at least one investment in the 12 months preceding the survey. You can read the full report here.

A report notes that Bitcoins dominance among cryptocurrencies in terms of trading volume is hitting away at the prolonged craze for Decentralised Finance or (DeFi) in the market. While market cap dominance remains below 60%, earlier this month, the trading dominance of BTC has spiked to levels not seen since 2017 when the price hit an all-time high at $20,000. With Bitcoins trading volume increasing, the global trend suggests that the market for DeFi tokens or altcoins to slump. It remains to be seen whether this trend will affect the Indian crypto market, where crypto exchange platforms have just started developing decentralized exchange platforms. You can read the full report here.

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Cryptocurrency This Week: Crypto Ban In The Air, Crypto Scams Everywhere - Inc42 Media

Bitcoin (BTC) was gaining for a fourth straight day, approaching the $12,000 price threshold the cryptocurrency failed to hold in August when it last rallied past that level.

The market has started to move again, the Norwegian cryptocurrency-analysis firmArcane Researchwrote Tuesday in a report.

Intraditional markets, U.S. stock futures pointed to a higher open as investors bet U.S. lawmakers could reach agreement on a new stimulus bill.

Market moves

Privacy coins like monero (XMR) and zcash (ZEC) are suddenly in vogue despite regulators efforts to crack down on them.

These digital tokens, which come with features allowing users to obfuscate their identities and hide the amounts transferred, have surged in value this year. Moneros price has nearly tripled in 2020, and zcash has doubled. According to the data firm Messari, a group of 21 digital assets with anonymity-enhancing features has gained 142% this year, compared with bitcoins 60% gain.

The bullish market tone comes even as U.S. Internal Revenue Servicerecently hiredblockchain analytics firms Chainalysis and Integra FEC to develop transaction tracing tools for monero and other protocols used to obscure identities. Andthe U.S. Department of Justice earlier this month published anextensive reporton its enforcement framework for digital assets,citing the use of anonymity-enhancing cryptocurrenciesas a risk to anti-money-laundering programs and effortsto combat terrorismfinance.

Some cryptocurrency analysts say the jump in prices for privacy tokens might just be coincidental, a function of speculation on the part of traders keying off price-chart patterns or algorithms. But it might be that traders think privacy tokens will occupy a key spot in fast-developing, international digital-asset markets and payment systems precisely because so many users dont want to transact business under the glare of monitoring by governments, banks or exchanges.

Cryptographers and researchers are always going to be one step ahead on privacy, Riccardo Fluffypony Spagni, one of the Monero networks maintainers,told CoinDesk in an interview.

In other words, theregulatory inquiriescould turn out to be net positives for monero.

It gets visibility in the market,David Jevans, CEO of blockchain forensics firm CipherTrace, told CoinDesk in a telephone interview. People should be able to pay for day-to-day expenses without having to fear hitting regulators radar and provide identity proofs.

Top 10 "privacy coins" tracked by the cryptocurrency data firm Messari, ranked by year-to-date returns.

Bitcoin watch

Bitcoin daily chart.

The path of least resistance for bitcoin is to the higher side.

The cryptocurrency jumped more than 2% Monday, confirming a descending triangle breakout. The pattern indicates the rally from the Oct. 8 lows near $10.,500 has resumed.

Open interest in bitcoin futures listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which is considered synonymous with institutional interest, jumped over20% to a seven-week high of $624 million Monday, validating the bullish breakout on technical charts.

Further, macro factors look to be aligned in favor of the bulls. The likes of the European Central Bank and the Reserve Bank of Australia are expected to ramp up monetary stimulus over the next two months a long-term positive development for the perceived store of value assets like bitcoin and gold. Traditional markets are pricing additional inflation-boosting U.S. fiscal stimulus.

Buta number of big sell orders appear positioned around $12,000, which could make it harder for bulls to engineer a quick move past that mark.

As such, the focus has shifted to resistance located at $12,476 (August high). On the downside, the Oct. 16 low of $11,200 is the level to target for the bears.

Token watch

Filecoin (FIL):Decentralized file-storage protocolreleases token rewards in advance after crypto miners rebel against unfair economic model.

Binance (BNB):Worlds largest cryptocurrencyburns 1.1% of supply of its BNB exchange tokens, fourth-highest ever.

Uniswap (UNI):Vote to reduce quorumfails to garner quorum.

Curve DAO (CRV):Decentralized stablecoin-swapping platforms tokens hitfresh all-time lows.

What's hot

Bloomberg analyst Mike McGlone says bitcoin has a history of adding zeroes, sees tethers market capitalization eclipsing ethers next year. (Bloomberg Intelligence)

Corporation-focused R3s Corda Network gets new regulation-friendly digital currency, XDC, calling it a next-generation bitcoin or XRP. (CoinDesk)

Federal Reserve Chair Powell says its more important to get digital dollar right than to be first. (CoinDesk)

A Puerto Rico-based bank founded by gold bug and long-timebitcoinskeptic Peter Schiff is under investigation over suspicions it facilitated tax evasion for high-risk clients. (CoinDesk)

Analogs

The latest on the economy and traditional finance

European investors rattled as number ofnew daily coronavirus reaches record high. (CNBC)

International money managers bet on Biden victory in U.S. presidential election to spur gains on non-U.S. assets, weaken dollar. (Reuters)

U.S. investment bank behemoth Goldman Sachs reaches deal with U.S. Department of Justice to pay more than $2B for role in Malaysia 1MDB scandal. (Bloomberg)

Investing legend Bill Miller calls Federal Reserves inflation-averaging policy the most significant change in U.S. monetary policy in 40 years. (CNBC)

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First Mover: Monero Leads Privacy-Coin Rally as Bitcoin Trips on Path to $12K - CoinDesk - CoinDesk

Source

Bitcoin (BTC-USD), as well as the blockchain enterprise sector in general, has become increasingly correlated with stocks in recent months. Due to the upcoming election, the lack of progress on the fiscal stimulus front, uncertainty about the state of the economy going forward, the likelihood of an increase in volatility, as well as other factors, things could get messy in the blockchain enterprise segment in the weeks ahead.

Bitcoin: 1-Hour Chart

Source: Binance.com

We see that BTC is forming what appears to be another head and shoulders pattern, similar to the prior ones in the chart above. Furthermore, Bitcoin got rejected at the critical $11,800 resistance level recently and broke through support at $11,500. More recently BTC has been testing the $11,250 area of support and is dangerously close to breaking below this crucial level. If $11,250 gets penetrated, Bitcoin could melt down further below $11,000 and possibly retest $10,500, as well as $10,000 support levels next.

Source

Despite the possibility for short-term downside, we remain quite bullish on BTC and the overall digital asset segment long term. As the above chart illustrates, BTC moves in waves, and the top of each wave is substantially higher than the previous top.

I see no reason for this trend to end, and the next major top will likely be substantially higher than the previous one around $20,000. In fact, I believe the next major top could be around $75,000, but it will likely take some time (1-3 years) to get there.

Since the mid-March bottom, Bitcoin has roughly tripled, while the S&P 500/SPX (SP500) has appreciated by about 58%. Despite the clear outperformance, we see that Bitcoin has been moving largely in tandem with the stock market. This was also apparent during the February/March meltdown as stocks and Bitcoin essentially meted down simultaneously.

So, here we are now. The presidential election is approaching, certain economic indicators as well as some key company earnings are coming in worse than expected, fiscal stimulus seems to be off the table until after the election, volatility appears to be picking up, and Bitcoin coupled with stocks could experience another notable leg lower.

Despite the apparent correlation with stocks, we remain very bullish on Bitcoin and select blockchain enterprises in the intermediate and long term. One reason for this is because Bitcoin and systemically important digital assets are likely to play an increasingly important role in the future economy, as some offer valuable services and others serve as digital currencies/payment systems.

Furthermore, Bitcoin and other key "coins" are essentially inflation proof, as there is only a certain amount that can ever exist in circulation (Bitcoin 21 million). A stark difference to the dollar and fiat currencies in general that are being debased on a perpetual basis and can be printed endlessly if so desired by central banks.

Bitcoin is the gold standard of the digital asset market, and it serves as a payment system as well as a unique store of value mechanism.

Transactional Coins

Litecoin (LTC-USD): If Bitcoin is akin to digital gold, then Litecoin is somewhat akin to digital silver. It may not be the store of value that Bitcoin is in the digital world, but it is a far more efficient transactional vehicle.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH-USD): Bitcoin Cash is another transactional coin, much like Litecoin that can handle scale, speed, and cost far more efficiently than Bitcoin.

Zcash (ZEC-USD): Zcash is another top and very promising transactional coin, but is more encrypted, thus making transactions more difficult to track.

Dash (DASH-USD): Another top transactional coin, similar to Zcash.

Monero (XMR-USD): This is the only top transactional coin that I am aware of that is essentially untraceable.

Please understand me correctly. I am not talking about nefarious transactions, money laundering, etc. here. I am simply pointing out that there are coins that can be used with a certain degree of anonymity, and in my view, there is nothing wrong with that. The government does not need to know when, where, and how I spend my own hard-earned money. This is my personal libertarian viewpoint, and everyone is welcome to their own.

Functional Blockchain Enterprises

Not all digital assets/blockchain enterprises are created equal. In fact, the ones that I am discussing are all different and have their own unique role to play in the future economy. Transactional coins are designed to work as currencies/payment systems, while functional coins are designed to perform a particular function/offer a service.

For instance: Ripple (XRP-USD) enables banks to perform interbank and other transactions far more efficiently and less costly than traditional methods.

Ethereum (ETH-USD) handles smart contracts and various applications.

Cosmos (ATOM-USD) specializes in connecting blockchains together.

Other functional coins we see substantial potential going forward include: Tron (TRX-USD), Tezos (XTZ-USD), Swipe (SXP-USD), EOS (EOS-USD), Cardano (ADA-USD), and several others.

How to get exposure without going through crypto exchanges

I understand that not everyone is comfortable with cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain wallets, etc. Unfortunately, the market is rather thin on alternative options (although Bitcoin futures are available).

This Is Where the Grayscale Trust Comes In

For now, market participants can get exposure to several "coins" through the Grayscale Trust.

So what does the Grayscale Trust offer?

Well, market participants can get exposure to Bitcoin through Grayscale's OTC (GBTC) trading vehicle. Likewise Grayscale offers similar trading instruments for Ethereum (OTCQX:ETHE), Bitcoin Cash (OTCQX:BCHG), Ethereum Classic (OTCQX:ETCG), Litecoin (OTCPK:LTCN), and a diversified large cap-fund (OTCQX:GDLC). Other crypto trading instruments appear to be on their way as well from Grayscale.

Volatility in stocks appears to reflect poorly on Bitcoin and the digital asset market in general. As there is likely to be more volatility ahead in stocks as well as other key markets, Bitcoin/blockchain enterprises could decline in the short term. Nevertheless, intermediate and long term, we remain extremely bullish on this segment and see a lot of upside potential ahead in the next 1-5 years and beyond.

However, in this uncertain environment, our portfolio's 25% allocation in Bitcoin and other digital assets feels a bit heavy. Therefore, we began locking in profits in some blockchain enterprises after the $11,500 level was unable to hold up. Intuition tells me that $11,250 may fail in upcoming sessions as well, and a mini meltdown to around $10,500-$10,000 is plausible. Therefore, we are reducing our digital asset holdings to raise our cash position, but we will reenter the market once volatility calms down after the election and we have a clearer view on where markets are headed next.

Want the whole picture? If you would like full articles that include technical analysis, trade triggers, portfolio strategies, options insight, and much more, consider joining Albright Investment Group!

Disclosure: I am/we are long ASSETS MENTIONED. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: This article expresses solely my opinions, is produced for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. Please always conduct your own research before making any investment decisions.

Continued here:
Bitcoin: Another Mini-Meltdown Appears Likely - Seeking Alpha

Trading cryptocurrency simply involves changing one cryptocurrency to another cryptocurrency or changing crypto to local money or Fiat. On the other hand, cryptocurrency trading also covers the buying and selling of any crypto or coins and exchanging to the fiat of ones choice.

To trade crypto assets, the first thing you need to do is to ensure you have a wallet where you can keep any cryptocurrency youll be purchasing from any crypto exchange platform like Remitano, Coinbase, Binance, etc. The first stage of trading cryptocurrency is creating an account. The essence of creating an account is to show interest and also give you the platform to get your cryptocurrency wallet.

READ: Cryptoexchanges withmost valuable crypto-assets in the world

These are platforms that allow the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies. There are centralized and decentralized platforms, but the bests are always decentralized. The decentralized platforms are controlled by multiple systems (meaning there is no single computer controlling it). These platforms allow you to buy and sell cryptocurrency and as well as store them in your wallet.

Read this article about decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges (DEX) to gain more insight into decentralized exchanges.

Exchanges charge traders a fee for allowing you to trade cryptocurrencies. The average fee per trade is 0.1% of each trade executed on the platform. Billions of dollars worth of crypto assets are traded every day. Lucky traders and early adopters have made it big from trading cryptocurrencies, and it is now their full-time job.

From my experience, there are basically two types of cryptocurrency trading; short term trading and long term trading. Now lets look at these types of trading.

This refers to buying cryptocurrency at a low price only to hold for a short time before selling at a marginal profit. Trading time can be between minutes to months.

The idea is simple; you buy a coin because you think the price will increase in a short time and then sell it for a quick profit.

This guide on day trading will help you become an expert at short term trading.

Long term holding refers to the act of holding a particular crypto asset for a very long time, years to be precise. The word HODL which means Hold on For Dear Life originates from long term trading. The idea of long term trading is to hold crypto assets for a very long term regardless of the volatility with the hope that it will increase by a significant factor after years of holding.

Fluctuations are the most significant problem that cryptocurrency traders face. Trading cryptocurrencies have many benefits, but before you trade, you must be aware of the risks involved in trading. Below are some of the cryptocurrency-related risks.

Cryptocurrency fluctuates: There is no fixed price over a fixed period for cryptocurrency. This means the worth of a cryptocurrency today can change tomorrow. The change can be slow or rapid, but it is quite unusual for cryptocurrency value to drop heavily. Most times, whenever it drops, it is always little, and theres still a time when it will pump (cryptocurrency increases).

READ: Fate of $2.3 billion worth of Bitcoins in Limbo

Cryptocurrency is not regulated: The bank and government are not in control of these digital assets. However, people are paying more attention to it because of its usefulness and how it is becoming generally accepted across the globe.

Security risks: There can be cryptocurrency mistakes, and cryptocurrency can be hacked: Sometimes, avoiding obstacles as a result of technical failures might be difficult. Hackers can also hack into cryptocurrencies and toy with it.

The best way to avoid issues with cryptocurrency is to get as much information as possible before starting.

READ: How to buy and sell Bitcoins in Nigeria

There are quite a number of people that are concerned about the best trading platforms to use for their transactions. There is no need to worry about that.

This article will highlight some of the top and best cryptocurrency exchange platforms you can use for trading. There are a lot of other platforms out there, and finding the best should be the aim. Below is a streamlined list of five cryptocurrency trading platforms that are safe and trusted.

READ: Bitcoin could reach $225,000 by 2021

This is the most recommended trading platform for both beginners and experts. The platform is a P2P escrowed marketplace that makes buying and selling of cryptocurrency and trading to local currency easier and faster. You are connected with buyers or sellers (depending on what you want to do), and the transaction goes on safely.

Coinbase is one of the best platforms for trading. It is highly secured and easy to use for trading leading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others. Coinbase has APIs that allow developers to link with third-party apps and trading platforms. Coinbase is on this list because it is easy to use, highly secure, and fees are low.

Kraken is on the list because it is an old and consistent cryptocurrency platform that allows funding from diverse options. This platform is super cool for beginners because it makes the onboarding process easier.

BItfinex is a good platform for all trading necessities. If you are already learned and good with trading, you will find this cryptocurrency exchange valuable. Beginners might find the interface complicated, but it supports different cryptocurrencies.

CEX.IO

This is a reliable platform for multiple cryptocurrencies. You can also make deposits from your local bank (credit card or any other option that suits you). The multiple payment option and high security, state compliance with regulatory organizations are top reasons why you should consider the platform. You can also track your investments with their developed reports.

The primary reason why cryptocurrencies are ideal for trading is because of the fluctuations. There are cases where youll have more profits due to the price when you bought the cryptocurrency, and you experienced an increase in the long run (that means youre making a profit). Also, the opportunity to buy cryptocurrencies when theyre cheaper or at the prices that are convenient for you and sell off when you realized theyve increased in value makes cryptocurrency ideal for trading.

It is an undisputed fact that the income coming from crypto trading might not be as huge as you might have envisaged, however, the more the value of the cryptocurrency youre holding or trading, and the longer you hold your cryptocurrency, the more your chances of cashing out big.

The price is influenced by the economic factor of demand and supply. This is what the cryptocurrency traders use in balancing their portfolio. Cryptocurrency is just a different and unique investment form or opportunity.

Now that you understand everything about crypto trading, you can learn how to begin cryptocurrency trading in 2020.

See the original post:
Everything you need to know about Crypto Trading - Nairametrics

As a leader you have to be that bridge that brings everyone together, so that you can assemble in large numbers and scale sustainably. - Brendan Blumer, Founder & CEO of Block.one

Brendan Blumer, Founder & CEO of Block.ONE

Block.one and the EOS blockchain are most well known for conducting a year-long token crowd-sale between June 2017 to June 2018 resulting in a total of $4 Billion in collected revenues. While, many of the other token crowd-sales such as Kik and Telegram faced tough regulatory persecution resulting in fines, termination of activities and even refunds to investors, Block.one was able to settle the U.S. regulatory charges against it in a favorable deal with the SEC, resulting in a civil fine of $24 million dollars, or only 0.6% of the crowd-sale proceeds.

Block.one maintains that its token sale was a revenue-generating event rather than a fundraising exercise, and that is most closely compared to selling virtual gaming digital assets.Prior to the token sale, Block.one on-boarded several brand name investors from Silicon Valley icon Peter Thiel, to Bitmain, Louis Bacon, Alan Howard, Christian Angermayer, Lansdowne Investment Company Ltd, and Galaxy Digitals Mike Novogratz.

This mega successful revenue-generating event put Block.one in a very special position, allowing its executives to ask themselves a questions every start-up founder can only dream of - What would you build, if money was no object?

This week, I had the opportunity to sit down for an inspiring interview with Brendan Blumer, Founder & CEO of Block.one, to discuss his vision for the company, how to be an effective leader in an ever-changing technological landscape and what tools he uses to stay on top of his game.

Tatiana Koffman: Hi, Brendan. Thank you for joining us today! Blockchain innovation offers unlimited possibilities, beyond just a more efficient and secure way to share data. What is the future of this technology and how does it fit within your vision for EOS and Block.one?

Brendan Blumer: Thank you so much for having me.

Block.one has three core components:

(1) We have the EOSIO business, where we are focused on developing the layer one protocol and all the tools required to harmoniously integrate that architecture EOSIO is a business unit that looks at the tools required to integrate private and public blockchain infrastructure within your business, holistically, and develop the support functions required.

(2) We have a private equity arm that is focused on investing in primarily EOSIO businesses a lot of it is done through third-party GPs, so that way we can spread the capital to other experienced investors and extend the reach of the ecosystem, although we do make some direct investments ourselves.

(3) The last piece of our business...is realizing the potential of EOSIO by actually building businesses ourselves. Voice, our social media platform, is one of those projects.

[Last week, Block.one announced EOSIO for Business a new suite of enterprise service offerings designed to help organizations integrate blockchain-based solutions into their operations. The four new offerings will leverage Block.ones performance-focused EOSIO software and will include Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS), consulting, technical support, and training and certification programs. Block.one also announced a partnership with Google GOOG last week, where Google will join as a block producer candidate with the opportunity to become one the EOS 21 block producers,building on Googles strong open-source routes.]

Tatiana Koffman: The Google Partnership was an important announcement for the blockchain sector, because it was one of the first tech giants to recognize the space as legitimate. Do you see other Silicon Valley heavyweights joining next?

Brendan Blumer: Absolutely, I think all of them are exploring it in their own ways. Some of them have different risk appetites. Google is pretty far along in that process. Its just a matter of time before others continue to enter.

Tatiana Koffman: You are based in Hong Kong and have a front row seat to the blockchain developments in China. What global impact do you foresee as a result of Chinas digital currency DCEP and the Blockchain Services Network (BSN)?

Brendan Blumer: We see very aggressive adoption specific to blockchain technology happening in Asia and how you can create interoperability between public and private blockchain components. China is absolutely building a large private infrastructure. I think China is very savvy in terms of what blockchain is capable of. They have made it a cornerstone to revolutionizing their currency and increasing their currencys prominence, particularly in emerging markets.

One of most incredible things about China, in terms of their economic growth, is how aggressively they pave the way for organizations to innovate with these new technologies, as opposed to America which impedes organizations with regulation.

America was built on the foundation of low regulation what you saw is the human spirit set free, and an era of capitalism and innovation. Now there are too many rules, and its a constant battle...In China, you have the government blazing the way. And you really see that in the growth numbers.... They are poised to succeed on a policy level.

Tatiana Koffman: Coinbase Brian Armstrong made headlines recently by publicly stating that Coinbase will be a mission-driven company and will no longer tolerate political discussions in the workplace. Will Block.one adopt a similar policy?

Brendan Blumer: I have a lot of respect for what Brian Armstrong...I think its a touchy subject, but I understand the stuff Brian has to go through, and I understand it on an intimate level... When you want to make change you can take two routes: cooperation and confrontation. A lot of people in the space tend to be more anarchist but Im a big believer that the way you bring societal change is to first show that you can comply with the existing framework Legal frameworks have been the biggest catalyst for the evolution of human rights over a long period of time I do think that major organizations in the space like Coinbase and Block.onewe cant sit down and accomplish every change we want to seenow We cant make perfect the enemy of the good Coinbase understand[s] what they are bringing to the worldthrough making digital assets accessible... but there is a lot of compliance that they are going to have to follow to safely operate for their employees.

Block.one is committed to compliance as well...We are focused on bringing as much of the advantage of the space to the public as possible. We want to earn the trust of the community and abide by legal frameworksThen we want to engage in intelligent conversation on how we can make changeIn order to make change, you have to play by the rules [first].

Tatiana Koffman: There is an active debate on monetary stimulus in the U.S. Do you think adding more stimulus is the correct path to recovery?

Brendan Blumer: Stimulus is just another form of tax. When you deal with global prices that asymmetrically affect the population, you are faced with tough choices. So how are you going to fix it? We do look to our governments to step in when those things happen. We pay taxes. We expect them to be there in times of need like today. And there are only so many options and tools that governments have... I think stimulus is the right way for governments to be addressing this problem the problem is money gets allocated in the wrong way. One of the most frustrating aspects of this pandemic is that it really has made the wealthy wealthier. Policies are being implemented in such a way that they are driving asset prices up for the wealthy and not properly redistributing the subsequent value back to the people that need it the most.

The reality is, fiat is not a good investment. It is not designed to be a good investment...Governments are responding to the crisis the way you would expect and the way they probably shouldbut it's also very powerful marketing for cryptowhere you can rely on supply integrity.

Even in absence of the stimulus, Bitcoins and cryptos value proposition is similar to gold, and the integrity that it brings.

Tatiana Koffman: With negative interest rates and active pursuit of inflation, we now have companies like MicroStrategy MSTR , Square SQ and Stone Ridge allocate funds into Bitcoin. Does Block.one utilize Bitcoin as part of its treasury management strategy?

Brendan Blumer: Block.one holds just under 10% of EOS in treasury and we also hold a very sizable position in Bitcoin. As loyal ambassadors of this ecosystem, we keep our value in Bitcoin we have for a long time and Ive been quite public about thatWe are very much aligned with that mentality. I think you are going to see other organizations follow suit.

Tatiana Koffman: Lets fast-forward 5 or 10 years. Where is Block.one? Where is Brendan Blumer? Will you still be running Block.one or does the dream get even bigger?

Brendan Blumer: Block.one is a holding company, and see different business emerging but technology projects take a long time. One of the hardest demands to meet in this space is the expectation of speed by the community. And its great, it keeps you alive and keeps you focused!

I hope in 5 or 10 years Im still doing this. I do love what I do.

Tatiana Koffman: You mentioned some of the pressures you face from the various stakeholders, investors and employees. You started this journey relatively young. What are some of the challenges youve had to face as you stepped into the shoes of a leader?

Brendan Blumer: Blockchain is challenging in its own wayWe are in a regulatory landscape thats evolving[You need to] have a holistic picture of who your market is and...make sure you are operating with compliance, building a practical route for delivering innovation at the intersection of something that works for your users but is also able to deliver a competitive advantage. Thats a really powerful but also very difficult thing to land on.

The other thing is just building the right kind of culture. We live in a world where so much of it is through remote collaboration...and understanding the bleeding edge of remote collaboration and productivity and cultureis becoming fundamental to building transformational blockchain organizations.

So thats one of the big transformational shifts that Im focused on. We recently brought on an incredible advisor Marty Chavez, former CIO of Goldman Sachs GS . One of the reasons I was excited to work with him is his experience in corporate governance. We spend a lot of time talking about how I can be a better leader in terms of actually applying best practices of scaling organizations and the things you dont think of when you have 10-15 staff. How do you bring 3000 people together and get everyone to appreciate the different components of what each one is building and what still needs to be built? You have to build a team that can harmoniously operate and institute strong culture.

As a leader you have to be that bridge that brings everyone together, so that you can assemble in large numbers and scale sustainably.

Tatiana Koffman: Thank you for joining us Brendan!

Check out the full video interview available this Friday on the MythOfMoney.com

Go here to see the original:
A $4 Billion Dream - Exclusive Interview With Cryptocurrency Creator Brendan Blumer - Forbes